Suffolk police commissioner cannot rule out officers being diverted over RAF Barnham asylum plans
The government have not yet confirmed if the site will be used to house asylum seekers
Last updated 8th Oct 2026
Tim Passmore says policing protests at the site would place additional pressure on Suffolk Constabulary, while warning that losing the former military base could also disrupt police training.
The Government is considering using RAF Barnham, near Thetford, to accommodate up to 1,250 asylum seekers.
In an interview with us. Mr Passmore was asked whether he could reassure residents that policing resources would not be taken away from other areas if the proposals proceed.
He said: “Well, the short answer to your question is no, I can't give that assurance because we would have to police any protests going on there and that therefore means if you're doing the proper policing of that area, well, you're going to be stopping doing something else.”
He added: “The Home Office has got some explanation to do.”
His comments come amid concerns about the potential impact of the proposals on local services, with Norfolk County Council estimating that the cost to its services could reach £29.8 million.
Nearly £80,000 spent on police training facility
RAF Barnham is currently used by Suffolk Constabulary for public order training, with officers from Norfolk and other forces also using the facility.
Mr Passmore said the force had invested nearly £80,000 in preparing the site for training and had been negotiating with the Ministry of Defence to purchase it.
He said there was also potential for the former base to accommodate other policing activities, including dog training, firearms training, driver training and regional storage facilities.
However, he warned that the proposed change of use could jeopardise those plans.
“If we had to move, that would be a very retrograde and disruptive step for policing, because we've put a lot of effort in,” he said.
Mr Passmore also questioned whether the force would be compensated for the money already spent.
“Well, I think that would be pretty damaging, actually, because are we going to get compensation for the money we've invested there in good faith?” he said.
The commissioner said the force had taken legal advice over its occupation of the site.
According to Mr Passmore, although the original lease term has ended, the force must be given six months' notice to vacate and has not yet received formal notification.
He said: “We will be staying there for six months regardless.”
Commissioner criticises lack of consultation
Mr Passmore also accused the Home Office of failing to consult his office properly before considering RAF Barnham for asylum accommodation.
He said he was “dismayed” when the proposals emerged, particularly because negotiations to purchase the site had already been taking place.
“I just don't like this cavalier attitude of the Home Office refusing to consult properly when we already have a lease,” he said.
The commissioner said he wrote to the Home Secretary in July but did not receive a response until September, when he was contacted by the Immigration Minister.
He described that response as “pretty non-committal”.
Mr Passmore argued that the Home Office should have engaged directly with him over the future of the site because responsibility for police estates falls within his role.
He said: “It really sticks in your throat that we've invested all that taxpayers' money and negotiating good faith to purchase a site and then along comes the Home Secretary and decides that she wants to do something else.”
He added that the Government should reconsider its approach.
“All of this could have been avoided if common sense had prevailed, which it hasn't so far,” he said.
Protests already creating additional policing demands
Mr Passmore said demonstrations outside RAF Barnham had already created additional demands on Suffolk Police.
He said officers had been required to police protests at the site, resulting in further costs to taxpayers.
However, the commissioner defended the right to peaceful and lawful protest.
“I would always defend the right of people to protest as long as they keep within the law,” he said.
He added that the vast majority of protesters had behaved appropriately, although he referred to a small number of incidents where people had not.
Mr Passmore said public safety was also a consideration because of the site's location beside a main road.
He argued that the policing demands associated with the demonstrations could have been avoided through earlier consultation and discussion.
Concerns over cost to local taxpayers
The commissioner's comments follow a warning from Norfolk County Council about the potential financial impact of the RAF Barnham proposals.
Although the former military base is in Suffolk, the council says the neighbouring Norfolk town of Thetford could experience significant additional demand on local services.
In a letter to the Home Secretary, Norfolk County Council leader David Bick and Norfolk Police and Crime Commissioner Colin Sutton urged the Government to reconsider the location.
The council said an assessment suggested the financial impact on its services could reach £29.8 million, potentially more.
That estimate relates to Norfolk County Council services and does not include separate potential costs to policing, the NHS or other public bodies.
Mr Passmore also raised concerns about how additional policing costs would be funded if protests continued.
He said his understanding was that the force would need to incur more than £1 million in expenditure before becoming eligible to apply for a particular grant to assist with those costs.
The commissioner has called for the Government to consider an alternative location for asylum accommodation.
“Go somewhere else. Don't disrupt people in Suffolk. Don't compromise our policing,” he said.
Home Office response
The Home Office has previously said plans for RAF Barnham are still being developed.
We've contacted the department for a response to Mr Passmore's concerns, including the potential impact on policing resources, consultation with the commissioner's office, the future of the training facility and whether additional costs would be funded.